Police probe drive-by shooting outside Rep. Zeldin's Shirley house that struck 2 teens; Zeldin family uninjured
Suffolk County police are investigating a shooting in Shirley that left two teenagers injured on Sunday and which, according to Rep. Lee Zeldin, took place just outside his home.
The shooting took place outside the home on Saint George Drive West in Shirley, where the two teens took refuge from a drive-by shooting, police said. The two, who are from Mastic and Mastic Beach, were taken area hospitals for treatment of their non-life-threatening injuries.
No one in the Zeldin family was hurt. Suffolk police said there was no connection between the shooting and the homeowner.
According to police, three teenagers were walking on Saint George Drive West when a dark-colored vehicle drove by and "an occupant fired multiple gunshots through the car's window at 2:19 p.m." The two 17-year-old males were struck and attempted to hide in the yard of a home on the street, police said, while a third teen fled on foot.
According to Zeldin, the GOP nominee for governor, the shooting happened outside his home, while he was returning from the Bronx Columbus Day Parade in Morris Park.
"My 16-year-old daughters, Mikayla and Arianna, were at our house doing homework, while my wife, Diana, and I were in the car, having just departed the Bronx Columbus Day Parade in Morris Park," Zeldin said in a statement. "After my daughters heard the gunshots and the screaming, they ran upstairs, locked themselves in the bathroom and immediately called 911. They acted very swiftly and smartly every step of the way and Diana and I are extremely proud of them."
At a Sunday night news conference on his street with his family and police nearby, Zeldin elaborated, saying: "The two of them were at the kitchen table doing homework and they hear gunshots … One of the bullets was actually found 30 feet from where they sitting.”
Four of his home security cameras picked up three people, Zeldin said. One person, who was not injured, was moving around for about two minutes and appeared to be on a phone.
Zeldin said all three appeared to be together and there may have been at least one more person outside of the scope of his cameras. He said his porch, which had blood on it, was closed off as part of the crime scene since one injured man was found in the bushes and the other on the porch.
“It hits really close to home when it shows up on your doorstep,” he said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted Sunday evening: " I’m relieved to hear the Zeldin family is safe and grateful for law enforcement's quick response."
Suffolk police are asking anyone with information to call 631-852-8752 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.
